


Unnoticed and in the shadows

by tbat



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: F/M, lots of Salt At Xander but hey that's how it is with inferiority complex prince, probably playing a bit fast and loose with canon to make this work, vaguely pre-game, welcome to Pining City population leo, whole lotta internal angsting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-04
Updated: 2019-03-04
Packaged: 2019-11-12 02:08:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18001772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tbat/pseuds/tbat
Summary: While watching Corrin train, Leo struggles with his feelings for her.





	Unnoticed and in the shadows

**Author's Note:**

> whats boppin kamuleo community my friend bribed me into writing this foul leo angst in exchange for xenoblade 2 ship fuel, and i hope you all enjoy your meal.

A heavy clang rang out in the quiet air, metal grinding against metal with a harsh screech. A series of lighter, faster clashes soon followed it. Leo glanced up from his tome at the sound, peering over from his position near the edge of the Northern Fortress' roof, well away from the source of the noise.

Xander and Corrin had been sparring like this for around an hour now, her every blow blocked almost effortlessly, no matter what angle of attack she attempted. Everything, from swift, low sweeps to heavier thrusts, Xander had predicted and deflected, often barely even budging from his position. While he hadn't been _unaffected_ by their battle, with his expression a little wearier and his sword held almost imperceptibly lower, it had taken a far greater toll on Corrin herself, gasping for breath and grunting with frustration with each new swing.

It wasn't as though Corrin was unskilled, either. Just by watching, Leo could tell she was perfectly capable of holding her own in a fight- Xander was simply that much better than her. It was almost frightening, in a way.

Flashing him a determined glare and tightening her grip on her sword, the hilt pressing uncomfortably into her hand, Corrin dashed towards Xander, renewing her attack. Her sword scraped along the ground before arcing upwards, only to be parried once again, bouncing off of the glowing blade of Xander's Siegfried as she was pushed back by the impact. Undeterred, she closed the distance with another swipe, then another, and another, never managing to outmanoeuvre Xander.

Leo continued to watch their duel, the book in his lap going ignored as he became engrossed in the training session. Truth be told, he hadn't moved past his current page for the past half an hour. At some point the occassional glance their way had become much more frequent, his gaze constantly wandering towards them. Towards Corrin, specifically.

At first, he'd told himself it had been under the pretence that he was purely interested in her progress with her combat training. She was Nohrian royalty, after all. Excelling in combat wasn't just expected, it was downright  _necessary_ , especially in recent years.

Besides, he found watching her fight oddly fascinating. Her agile movements, and swift, powerful swings were unlike anyone else's in the Royal Family- in all of Nohr, really. It was a truly unique fighting style, and as a prince himself, it was only fitting that he studied such an unusual technique closely.

Of course, that hadn't been the only reason, much as he hated to admit it. Really, he'd just wanted to watch Corrin...largely for its own sake. Her technique was impressive, certainly, and watching her inch closer and closer to actually landing a hit on the untouchable Xander was interesting in its own right, but, well, Leo knew that wasn't the  _real_ reason he was here.

He'd just wanted to see Corrin.

Her technique, her progress in her training, none of that mattered. He was simply watching Corrin because she was beautiful and elegant and almost inhumanly graceful, even as she clashed swords with her elder brother, and he'd found himself increasingly transfixed by her every movement. He  _should_ have been watching her swordplay, analysing the strengths and weaknesses of her technique, but instead, all that filled his mind was thoughts of how captivating the sight of her hair flowing behind her with every strike was, how the fierce light in her burning, crimson eyes contrasted so sharply with her normally calm, kind demeanour.

He sighed in quiet frustration. What was he  _doing_ , staring at her like this? He was sure he looked completely idiotic, gawking at her from afar so blatantly. It's not like he could claim he was simply watching the fight, either. It was far too obvious that Corrin was the sole focus of his attention.

But, well...he couldn't help himself. He wasn't sure when it had happened, or why his mind had become consumed by something so ridiculous, so  _embarrassing_ , but there it was, gnawing away at him, undeniable and ever-present.

He had fallen in love with Corrin.

It should've been unthinkable. Completely, totally out of the question. She was his elder sister, after all. Or, at least, so he'd thought. Over time, he'd slowly begun to piece it together, though.

Years of overhearing snippets of conversations between his father and Xander that seemed to cast Corrin as somehow  _separate_ from the other children. The realization that, even at the height of the Nohrian royals' mothers' bids for power, he had never actually  _seen_ Corrin's mother. 

Eventually, Leo had come to the only conclusion he deemed logical: Corrin was not one of Garon's daughter.  _Whose_ she was,  _where_ she came from, he couldn't say, but he was certain that she was not of Nohrian descent. She, in other words...wasn't the same as the rest of them.

Once that thought was planted in his head, he began to view her as  _someone else_ . As an outsider amongst them. He distanced her from his family- only for that distance to close once again, to grow into a newfound affection for her, and, eventually, to a love that he knew he could never express.

To him, Corrin was a gentle, beautiful girl quite unlike anyone else he had ever met- a rare ray of truly kind light amidst the brutality of Nohrian life.

To her, though, Leo was nothing more than her younger brother.

After all,  _Corrin_ didn't know, and Leo could only assume there must be some reason why Xander had never told her- or the rest of the royals- the truth. Who knew what could happen if he told her, even if she believed him? 

And even then, even if she  _did_ believe him, even if his actions faced no consequences from Xander, or worse, from his father, that didn't mean she'd accept his feelings, much less reciprocate them...Would she?

He shook his head lightly, dismissing the possibility. Of course she wouldn't. Not for him, anyway. Not for normal, passable,  _adequate_ Leo. Oh, people  _said_ he was a genius, that he was one of the finest mages in Nohr, and perhaps that was true, but still. He knew he still wasn't good enough. Not for her. He wasn't as doting or caring as Camilla and Elise, nor as strong, as dependable, as respected, as... _exceptional_ as Xander.

_Xander._

That name, above all others, stung the most.

Leo's eyes wrenched themselves away from Corrin and towards his elder brother, who was approaching her with his sword sheathed at last. Calling off the duel, no doubt, yet another session ending without Xander taking a single hit.

He spoke to her, the words distant and only barely audible to Leo, so wrapped up within his own thoughts as he was. His tone seemed...encouraging. Praising her progress, he assumed. Corrin beamed up at him, eyes full of the respect and admiration that Xander seemed to so effortlessly inspire.

A scowl spread across Leo's lips, the loose hold on his book tightening involuntarily.

Of course.

Of course that's how she'd look at  _Xander_ . 

Of course  _Xander_ would be the one she'd train with, the one she'd be so in awe of after every single session, the one whose every word she'd hang on. Infallible, wise, strong,  _perfect_ Xander. 

How could it ever be anyone else?

How could it ever be  _him_ ? 

A small part of him knew that was petulant. Childish, even. After all, Corrin fought with a sword, not magic. Leo might have a serviceable grasp of the basics, but Xander was far, far more skilled with a blade than he was. It only made sense she'd prefer to train with him. It was nothing personal. It was purely a matter of practicality.

Leo knew that. He did.

But right now, he didn't care. All he could think of was how much he wished  _he_ was the one training Corrin day in, day out. That he was the one who would get to spend all those hours with her, instead of grasping for a brief chance for conversation between her training and her studies. That her eyes would shine with even a fraction of the adoration she gave to Xander when she looked at him.

But of course, he knew he had no chance.

Leo might have been a worthy prince of Nohr in his own right...but he still hadn't caught up to Xander. In all likelihood surpassing him was an impossible dream. One of Nohr's best he may be, but he wasn't  _the_ best. He wasn't Xander. And anything less than that simply wasn't good enough for Corrin.  _Leo_ wasn't good enough for Corrin, and no matter what, he never would be.

With a curt nod, Xander turned and began to walk away from Corrin, heading towards the stairs. Their conversation must have finished. Leo could only hope neither of them had noticed how long he had been staring at them, or the undoubtedly obvious envy that had set his face in an unsightly grimace.

He remained seated, head titling back down towards his book- though not so far that he couldn't still see Corrin. Hopefully, she would take it to mean he was too engrossed in his book to speak with her, and she'd simply walk away without disturbing him.

While he'd normally relish any opportunity to talk to Corrin, but right now, all the emotions surging inside of him, all the love for her he'd kept hidden away, all the ugly jealousy Xander had awoken in him, was almost too much for him to bear. If he wasn't careful, he was afraid something might...slip out. Something he knew he'd regret saying. Painful though it was, the best thing to do was simply to avoid her.

Luckily for him, Corrin had indeed decided not to disturb him, instead trailing behind Xander.

As she reached the top of the stairs, though, she turned and glanced behind herself. Towards Leo.

It was only for a brief moment, her gaze meeting his for what felt like a fraction of a second, but it was enough for his cheeks to immediately flare and his heart to abruptly pound, for him to bury his head further into his book to disguise how obviously flustered he was. He cursed himself for how stupid he must have appeared, not even able to look her in the eye.

With a sharp breath, Leo attempted to compose himself, willing himself to calm down. What an embarrassing overreaction this was. It was only a glance. All she did was  _look_ at him. It was hardly something worth getting so worked up about.

But his mind couldn't help wandering back to that brief glimpse of the look on her face. The way her eyes seemed to shimmer with affection, and yet, were tinged with...pain? Almost as though she had been-

He rejected the thought out of hand, certain that he was being ridiculous. Whatever he thought he had seen on her face- and he reminded himself that it was  _nothing-_ he was no doubt reading far too much into it. If there was even a hint of affection in that expression, it would have been purely platonic. Nothing more than that.

Because, Leo told himself again, shoulders sinking in defeat, someone like Corrin would never feel that way about him.

He rose slowly to his feet, feeling that it was safe to move. It had probably been long enough that he wouldn't run into Corrin if he left the rooftop as well. With plodding footsteps, he made his way back inside the fortress.

As far as he was aware, he didn't have any urgent business for the rest of the day, so nobody would be expecting his company anywhere, and frankly, right now he wanted to be alone with his thoughts. With the feelings he had no choice but to carry in secret, forever.

He decided, then, to simply return to his room- hidden, unnoticed, and in the shadows, where she'd never think to look.

After all, where else did he belong?

 


End file.
